Please submit all materials to: COLLAGE Editor:
Alexandra Overby, alexaoverby@gmail.com
COLLAGE is published tri-annually. Submission deadlines for COLLAGE are: Spring Issue - February 1; Winter Issue - October 1; Fall Issue - July 1. Email all
submissions to alexaoverby@gmail.com. Contributions of articles, photos, and artwork are encouraged. Submissions of text should be emailed as Word
documents. Accompanying photographs of student work or students at work is encouraged. Do not include images within a Word document. Images
should be in .jpg format and sent as separate attachments. Refer to the attachment and the file name in the body of the e-mail. Whenever possible, include
captions and, in the case of photos of original student or teacher artwork, include names of artists. Submitted items may be edited for clarity, length, and
format. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors and publication does not imply endorsement. Lesson plan submissions must include lesson
objectives, appropriate assessments, procedures, standards applications, and materials.

Collage Spring 2017

3.

4th Annual Drawing
Contest
Ages 5-18
"If I Had A Wagon"

Grand Prize

- Weekend stay for the winning student, their family, their
art teacher, and their art teacher's family in Rocky

Mountain National Park with lodging and meals provided by
YMCA of the Rockies.

- Plus a Topo Designs backpack, Imagination International art kit, gift certificate to Blick Art
Materials online store, and admission into the Windows to the West Art Show and Sale

For more information, visit coloradokidscreate.org
1st-4th Place Prizes

- Topo Designs backpacks, Imagination International

art kits, gift certificates to Blick Art Materials online
store, and admission into the Windows to the West
Art Show and Sale

Special Recognition Prize

- Campfire and hayride for 20 people at Sylvan Dale
Guest Ranch in Loveland, Colorado.

Because there have been many conversations about
presidents this year and because I’m continuing my
dive into the history of our CAEA organization,
I find myself comparing the arts in the time and
place we exist in today with the arts in the time and
place that existed 80 years ago.

Roosevelt at the dedication of the National Gallery
of Art on March 17, 1941 in Washington D.C. It is
noteworthy that this “Bill of Rights” for artists was
produced just months before the Japanese attacked
Pearl Harbor and the United States entered World
War II.

In response to the recent rumored budget cuts to
the National Endowment for the Arts, there have
been social-media memes of Winston Churchill
proclaiming, “If not the arts, what are we fighting
for?” While Winston Churchill didn’t actually utter
these words, their message is reflected in the content
of a Special Bulletin made by President Franklin D.

In light of the social-media meme, I chuckled at the
irony of stumbling upon an artists’ Bill of Rights
made by a president who was a contemporary of
Winston Churchill.
I wonder: During a time of war, what are the
perceptions of the arts that are held by individuals

Collage Spring 2017

5.

in their day-to-day lives that might align with or
differ from the values of their community? I also
ask myself, “Given similar circumstances, how
might art look for me in 1940 versus 2017?”
My family history is peppered with a number of
talented artists and writers. Some of them led quite
avant-garde lives for their time. What would their
success look like today?
My personal sentiments are ignited by individual
American’s dedication to the arts being in perpetual
conflict with our collective commitment (or lack
thereof ) to these endeavors that enrich and bring
purpose and meaning to our lives.
I have many friends of all political and religious
affiliations. I can remember one person who has

6.

outright denied the value of the arts to my face.
I truly believe, maybe to an idealistic fault, that
most people value the arts. I think they even value
the process that turns dry macaroni, a piece of
faded construction paper, and some Elmer’s glue
into bowls. But I won’t be completely convinced
until I can drive down the street of any town in the
U.S. and view committed evidence to the arts on
any given street corner.
Art educators’ work goes far beyond the classroom.
Milestones are being made everywhere to
influence formal understanding of the arts from
all possible sources where they converge into a
lifelong perspective passed from one generation
to the next. It’s 2017 and we still discuss, how we
might “explain” Michelangelo’s David. Or lament

the time wasted searching for that “just right” art
history video devoid of all things “inappropriate.”
But there are far-reaching effects that can result
from our shift to authentic questioning and
creating, and keeping the natural act of creating
alive in young people as they grow. The effects of
deepening and broadening our practice can result in
a presidential proclamation for the arts that would
seem redundant, rather than elevated to religious
status.
I always like to say that Colorado has everything
except the ocean. This is certainly true regarding
the arts. Maybe our country as a whole isn’t ready

to put its money where its mouth is, but Colorado
actually does when it comes to creative industries.
Colorado Creative Industries produced a study
in 2008 titled “Colorado: State-of-the-Art, Key
Findings from The State of Colorado’s Creative
Economy.”(See Creative Economy Study snapshot.)
You can review the breakdown of creative industry
information at http://www.coloradocreativeindustries.
org/about/creative-economy-study. You’ll also find
that Colorado ranks fifth among all states for
concentration of artists. You’ll enjoy the diagram
and bullet points illustrating the number of
creatives working in Colorado. It’s always time for
art, and it’s always time to be that voice.

•

Collage Spring 2017

7.

Letter From the Editor

Letter Fr om
the Editor
by Alexandra Overby
I recently got back from the National Art Education
Association (NAEA) Conference and have been
reflecting on the big take-aways from my time in
New York City (NYC). It was interesting to hear
new perspectives on pedagogy and possibilities
in the art classroom and I always love getting to
catch up with friends and colleagues from across
the country. It was also wonderful to get away
from the daily schedule of the classroom and to be
motivated by all the art-teacher energy within the
conference. After thinking about all of this, I have
come to the conclusion that my greatest take-away
wasn’t so much the conference as my ability to go
see artworks in person.
I feel guilty saying that the sessions didn’t inspire
me to do great things, but I have been to quite a
few of the national conferences and have sat in my
fair share of sessions. In fact, if you are dedicated
enough, you could go to sessions straight from 8
a.m. to 10 p.m. without a break (and I have come
close a few times)! This time, I decided to enjoy
a little slice of what NYC has to offer instead of
spending all my time in the claustrophobic hotel
meeting rooms. I made it to three museums: the
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Guggenheim,
and the Whitney, and can honestly say that those
experiences were well worth stepping away from
the conference.
The power of art is amplified when you can see it
in person. I still vividly remember seeing the Mona
Lisa at the Louvre for the first time and being so
mad at how small it was and how many people were
clamoring to see it. It looked so different than the
slide projection in my art history class in college!
On this trip, I saw some of my favorite works plus
many new pieces that were amazing to look at. To

8.

The power of art is amplified
when you can see it in person.
see the actual size, the texture of the surface, the
true colors…no book or website can ever compete
with seeing the work in front of you.
For example, there was an Asian contemporary
landscape show at the Guggenheim that I spent a
lot of time with. One piece was a giant robot that
was engineered to sweep up this dark-red liquid
when it strayed too far from the robot. Hearing
the sounds of the robot, seeing the giant size of
it, connecting the liquid to blood, and seeing
the robot frantically try to contain the liquid
gave me a feeling of horror and fascination as I
connected the idea of technology and control to
our contemporary lives. Looking at an image or
video on the web could never have given me the
same experience.
It is so important that we give our students a chance
to see actual artwork as well. I am a little spoiled
in my job – I teach a section of AP Art History
and get to have deep conversations about art and
culture every day. It’s an amazing opportunity
when I can tell students exactly what it is like to
see a particular piece in person and give them more
information than the textbook can. It is even better
when students can share their experiences with
encountering an artwork or piece of architecture –
especially those students who are fortunate enough
to travel. Hearing students tell me how they were

Photo mural by J.R. – Highline Trail

On this trip, I saw some of my favorite works plus many new
pieces that were amazing to look at. To see the actual size, the
texture of the surface, the true colors…no book or website
can ever compete with seeing the work in front of you.
able to talk about the artwork they saw on their
trips and be the tour guide for their families makes
my job worthwhile!
I have taken students to the museum and had
them ask me, “Is this the real piece?” When I
tell them yes, it is amazing to watch their faces
as they intently study the work and connect it to
the projection we were looking at in class. The
experience internalizes the work of art into their
minds and gives them an appreciation they may not
have had before. My end goal is to have them feel
comfortable in a museum or gallery so that they
may bring their families to these types of spaces

and hopefully become lifelong art supporters.
It is easy for me to push for all of you to take your
students to see “real art” when my school is a couple
miles away from the big museums in Denver, but
I do encourage you to think outside of the box to
get students in front of actual art. Beyond the work
that they create in class, what other types of art are
in your community? Is there a giant mural on a side
of a building? Does the local historical museum
have some work? Is there an office building nearby
that has some quality pieces? How about a parent
who is a wood carver, quilter, or a basket maker?
What about the local coffee shop?

Another option is to use the power of students to get professionals to come in and share their work. I
have high school students who follow artists on Instagram and I encourage them to contact the artists
and ask them questions. If they are local, sometimes my students ask the artists if they are willing to come
to the class and talk to the students out of the goodness of their hearts (aka for free!). It never hurts to
have students take the lead on this (with permission from their parents) and, oftentimes, the artists will
positively respond and be happy to make connections with your school. I have also set up Skype calls with
artists to talk with the students; a little more complicated and not an actual encounter with artwork, but
still a powerful experience for the students.
By the time this issue reaches you, it will probably be too late to set something up for this year, but I hope
that you will be encouraged to get your students to experience actual artwork next year. In the grand scheme
of things, we all want our students to embrace a love of art that takes them throughout their lives; this is a
great way to start that connection. I hope everyone has a wonderful end of the school year and is looking
forward to some much-needed rest and time in art museums this summer!

â&#x20AC;˘

Collage Spring 2017

11.

Colorado at the National Art Education Association Conference
Did you know that there is always a group of CAEA members that attends and presents at the National
Conference?
Next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conference proposals are due June 1st (same as CAEAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s!)...we hope you will join us in Seattle!
Come represent Colorado in the biggest conference for art educators!

2017-18 CAEA Members Art Exhibition
Closing Reception
at Rodeo Market Gallery
The next showing of this Exhibition will be at the
Bridge Gallery in Colorado Springs, CO
May 5th â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 27th, 2017
JUNE 2017: TBD, Bailey, CO (Amy Marsh)
SEPTEMBER 2017: Denver School of the Arts, Denver, CO

NOVEMBER 2017: Cranford Cove Tea Taverns, Greeley, CO

16.

(Deb Rosenbaum)
(Vickie Graber & Deborah Frain)

Collage Spring 2017

â&#x20AC;¢

17.

HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL NEWS
by Justine Sawyer

I am excited for the opportunity to represent all of
you during my term on the CAEA Representative
Council as the High School Level Representative.
My current teaching role is at Denver South High
School where I teach Drawing and Painting Level
One through Portfolio Development.
I recently attended the amazing NAEA Conference
in New York and came back with some great new
ideas including a possible National Art Honor
Society Leadership Day for our state. Please
consider starting a chapter at your school or
reinvigorating your current chapter through this
opportunity. CAEA is currently in the initial
planning stages so if you are interested in being
a part of planning this event, please contact me.
Dates and details will emerge at the beginning of
the 2017-18 school year.
A frequent comment I hear about fall conference
each year is about a lack of high school content
workshops. I encourage all of you at the high
school level to consider submitting a conference
proposal to represent our needs as high school or
secondary educators. If you have never presented
a workshop at the fall conference or have not
presented in a long time and would like some
guidance, please let me know. For those of you
seeking opportunities to support AP-level classes,
the incomparable Laura Thompson is working on
a full-day workshop to present at fall conference
this year.

Is Youth Art Month (YAM) on your radar for the
beginning of the school year? Elizabeth Stanbro,
Youth Art Month Coordinator, will be sharing
details as soon as she receives them from the national
level in August. I encourage you to consider being
a part of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flag design competition and
advocacy opportunity. Submissions will be due
at the CAEA fall conference in Breckenridge in
November so this could be a great beginning-ofthe-year lesson to ease back into school.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with ideas you
may have or concerns you would like me to address.
(You can email me at justine_sawyer@yahoo.com)
Additionally, I encourage all of you to share art
happenings at your school with me or directly with
Collage editor Alexa Overby at any time throughout
the year. If you are in Denver near the South High
neighborhood April 27 through May 4, be sure to
drop by to see our spring show!
All my best to you as you finish the school year.

â&#x20AC;˘
18.

show + Tell:
Alternative Narratives
through C ollaborative A rtwork
by Rachael Delaney, Christine Loehr, and Jesse Bott
I brought in dirt because I like to plant with my sister and we have poppies. – Fourth-Grade Student
My mom gave this to me, it was so special to her. – Third-Grade Student
My spoon is so special to me because I eat yogurt with it every single day. – Second-Grade Student
Show + Tell is a collaborative artwork created by 700
elementary school students, two elementary school
art teachers, and a college art education professor.
Show + Tell began with the premise that student
thinking can be made visible by using the aesthetics
of truth to raise criticality (Thompson, 2004). What
we mean by the aesthetics of truth concerns those
visual codes that suggest to the viewer honesty and

truthfulness, a believability that does not need to be
questioned. Within our schools, these visual codes
took the forms of graphs, pie charts, progress reports,
growth models, spreadsheets, and flow charts that
made factual claims about student achievement as
consistently underperforming. In response to the
certainty of the data, each of our schools made it
a priority to improve achievement scores as a way

Collage Spring 2017

19.

to turn deficiency into proficiency. Unfortunately,
instead of raising criticality, our schools reduced
the distinctiveness of student thinking down
to impersonal numerical achievement scores.
We knew that our schools were more than the
accumulation of data, and we wondered if this
same data could be visually manipulated to include
the not-so-quantifiable humanity of our students

that we experience everyday. Show + Tell became
our opportunity to intervene and reveal a more
honest and compelling portrait of our schools.
We began our research for Show +Tell by asking
ourselves: How can we create a collaborative work
of art that emphasizes the value of our students’
lived experiences? And how can we call attention
to the role of standardization in stigmatizing
and misleading perceptions of an entire school
community? To effectively answer these questions,
we knew that we had to replace the immediacy
of data with complexity and ambiguity through
meaning-making. As described by Wiggins and
McTighe (2011), meaning-making involves active
intellectual work to make sense of a big idea and
its implications “through processes of inquiry,
inferencing, and rethinking” (p.63) because
“meaning is not so much ‘taught and learned’ as
‘challenged and constructed’” (p.103). Show + Tell
offered us the opportunity to expose preconceived
notions about our schools through the practice
of making, to visually challenge the label of
“underperforming school.” Our intentions were to
construct alternative perspectives by showcasing
our students’ curiosity, creativity, and engagement
with the world through objects and narratives.

20.

Show + Tell offered us the
opportunity to expose
preconceived notions
about our schools through
the practice of making, to
visually challenge the label of
“underperforming school.”
This article describes the development,
construction, and exhibition of a collaborative
work of art using objects and narratives informed
by the lives and interests of our students. Rachael
Delaney offers an overview of the project and
describes how working collectively meant relying
on the expertise of students to facilitate meaningmaking. Christine Loehr shares the impact this
collaborative process had on her professional
development. Jesse Bott provides examples of
student narratives and describes how those stories
allowed him to have a deeper understanding of his
students’ lived experiences.
The Germination of an Idea by Rachael Delaney
Contemporary art played an important role during
the development of this project through examples of
artwork that critically examined and responded to
important issues happening now (Mayer, 2008). In
2008, the artist J. Morgan Puett created a large-scale
participatory installation work called Department
(Store): A Collaboration with J. Morgan Puett. The
work was created to accompany the opening of the
Sullivan Galleries at the School of the Art Institute
of Chicago. One hundred twenty-one (121) glass
department store display cases were rented on a
first-come-first-serve basis to individuals interested
in putting something on display. Participants were
asked: What is important? What is the statement
you would make? And how would you display
it? (Moore, 2008) Contributions to the display
cases included bric-a-brac, piles of clothing, giant
candelabras, ceramic bowls, dolls, and, in some
instances, the participants climbed into the cases
and put themselves on display. With this work,
Pruett was able to contrast the act of display as a

means to generalize and simplify information with
display as a means to contextualize information as
complex and evolving.
Pruett’s distinction seemed to be at the heart of
what was concerning us as educators: We wanted
to do more than merely display student work. We
wanted the opportunity to make the complexity of
students’ meaning-making visible. During our first
brainstorming meeting about Show + Tell, I shared
Department (Store) with Christine Loehr and Jesse
Bott and wondered, with them, how the format of
our exhibition could present an alternative to the
highly managed proficiency ratings and how could
it question the negative generalizations this type of
data can have on a community. While we agreed that
the display case seemed to be an ideal format, it was
also important to us to not duplicate Department
(Store). We wanted to borrow from the concepts
in the work to create an original artwork that had
students “examining, reflecting, questioning and
responding to the important issues of their world”
(Mayer, 2008, p.78). Christine Loehr and Jesse
Bott agreed to begin the process of collecting,
cataloging, and storing the small objects that the
students brought in while I researched material
costs and found funding sources for the project.

We wanted to do more than
merely display student work.
We wanted the opportunity to
make the complexity of students’
meaning-making visible.
We decided that simple acrylic cubes (the type
typically used to store and protect memorabilia like
autographed baseballs) would function as display
cases for our project. The cost of approximately
900 acrylic cubes, one for each student, was close to
$2,000. A successful Kickstarter campaign allowed
us to move forward with the project. Once the
shipment of acrylic boxes arrived, we spent many
hours in my garage packing each of these boxes
with an object and stenciling onto the exterior of
each box the words “Show + Tell.” As they were
collecting objects, Christine Loehr and Jesse Bott
meticulously cataloged each item that came into
their classrooms ascribing a number to each object
that was a combination of the student’s grade
level and the ranking of the student’s school. This
number was then applied to the exterior of the box.

Collage Spring 2017

21.

Along with the objects, Christine Loehr and
Jesse Bott also collected test scores for reading,
writing, and math; the hours per week devoted
to instruction focused on each of these content
areas; and the hours per week devoted to visual arts
instruction. They also included in their data the
gender, ethnicity, and age of each student along
with their English Language Learner designation.
I then took this information and handwrote the
data into a ledger; student names were replaced
with the same number that was put on the outside
of the box. This step ensured the anonymity of
the students involved in the project while also
allowing a viewer of the artwork to look up the
data on a student in the ledger and then find the
corresponding display cube holding the object that
the student selected to include in the exhibition.
The final element of the piece was a recording
of each student describing what the student had
brought in for Show + Tell and why the object was
important to the student. As each element of the
project came together, we grew more confident in
the artwork and its ability to poetically present a
complex portrait of our students.

22.

Structuring the project around the stuff of our
students’ everyday life was a choice we made
because of the potential for these familiar objects
to cultivate an understanding of our students as
contributors to their communities and not just
underperforming learners. As described by Gude
(2007), “the essential contribution that arts
education can make to our students and to our
communities is to teach skills and concepts while
creating opportunities to investigate and represent
one’s own experiences—generating personal and
shared meaning” (p. 6). By asking our students
to curate the objects and stuff of their lives, we
asked them to become the interpreters of the
project, responsible for the aesthetic investigations
and meaning-making. This allowed us to take on
the role of facilitator so we could be attentive to
the process of producing the work; we immersed
ourselves in the qualities of the learning experience
and paid attention to the possibilities, promise,
and actualities of our exchanges with our students
and each other (O’Donoghue, 2015).

Sustaining Professional Growth and Cultivating
Relationships by Christine Loehr
I have always known that teaching art was my
passion and I had promised myself that I would
never be the teacher who gets bored or loses passion
for the craft. However, 10 years of increasing
isolation and few art education professional
development opportunities had whittled away
at the promise I made to myself to always be the
engaged and curious teacher. I was in the need of
a creative surge and, fortunately, this came in the
form of a student teacher, Jesse Bott.
During Jesse’s time at Rose Hill Elementary, we
seamlessly integrated our similar pedagogical
philosophies, each from our own separate
experiences. As a new teacher, Jesse was very
interested in finding ways to sustain his practice
as an artist, something I had lost sight of over the
years as lesson plans replaced my own creative
practice as a sculptor. With two distinct vantage
points, we created our own professional learning
community (PLC). A key attribute of our PLC was
shared leadership (Owen, 2014). We worked as a
team using inquiry to experiment with different
teaching strategies. We shared lesson-planning
ideas, honestly discussed areas for improvement,
and engaged in reflective dialog at the end of every
school day. Our mutual respect for each other
allowed us to learn together uninhibited so we could
focus our collaborative efforts on improving student
learning. At the end of a nine-week, whirlwind art
frenzy, Rose Hill and I had to say goodbye to Jesse.
Luckily for us, Jesse was soon hired at Monaco
Elementary just minutes away; our collaboration
was to continue as district colleagues. I share this
history because it demonstrates how transformative
a professional collaborative partnership can be,
and suggests the level of trust already established
between collaborating art educators well before
Show + Tell was conceived.
While working with the students and their Show
+ Tell objects, I was reminded of how important
teachers are in the lives of their students. With
each item donated to the project, I was entrusted
with my students’ treasures and secrets. As a result
of this project, my students spoke freely about
their families, cultures, and communities because

With each item donated to
the project, I was entrusted
with my students’ treasures
and secrets. As a result of
this project, my students
spoke freely about their
families, cultures, and
communities because they
trusted me.
they trusted me. Students brought in items that
reminded them of their parents who were in jail or
family members who had been deported.
The 300 stories that came with each donated object
reminded me of how privileged I am and that,
when kids are given the opportunity to be listened
to, they feel honored and treasured themselves. As
artists, we all know the power an impactful work
of art can have on a viewer and, after 10 years of
teaching, I was reminded of the importance of
not taking this for granted in my own classroom.
As a result of this project, I now try to include
opportunities in every assignment for new and
unexpected collaborative experiences so students
can think about making in different and surprising
ways. I have also become more attentive to my
own practice as an artist by making and submitting
artwork to local juried arts shows.
Challenges, Possibilities, and Hope: Charting
the Stories of Students by Jesse Bott
When we began Show + Tell, I was a new teacher
trying to navigate my second year of teaching. It
was both exciting and unnerving to participate
in such a large-scale project where I would be
responsible for ensuring that my students’ heritage,
struggles, joys, pride, and accomplishments would
be accurately represented. My first concern was
figuring out how to present this idea to students
to begin the collection process without disrupting
the projects already in progress. I decided to keep
the process as simple as possible, making it a side
project or homework. I announced to my students

Collage Spring 2017

23.

that we were going to be working on a personal art
project that I was developing with two colleagues
and that we needed the students as collaborative
partners in order to complete the work.
I showed my students a coffee filter I brought from
home to represent my love and need for coffee.
On the coffee filter, I had drawn a picture of my
house to illustrate how grateful I am to have a safe
place to go every day. I also brought in a section
of a graph that documented the heart rates of my
pregnant wife and my unborn son. My aim in
sharing these two items was to show students that
there are a variety of ways of using objects to show
and tell what is important in one’s life.
Show + Tell objects rolled in slowly. One
kindergartner brought in a bag of dried spaghetti
noodles, another brought in a couple of toys he
used to play with when he was a baby, and a fourth
grader brought in a bag full of dirt. As the weeks
progressed, more students brought in objects and
my boxes marked with the different grade levels
began filling up.
Similarly, my audio recorder was filling up with the
students’ narratives. I started to fully understand
the purpose and the potential of this project
as I listened to the stories of my students. The
kindergarten student who brought in spaghetti
said he simply wanted to show his need for food
to stay alive, and that spaghetti happened to be his
favorite food for doing this. The fourth-grade girl
who brought in a bag of dirt told me that it came
from the garden where she and her grandma spent
time in the summers. A third-grade girl brought
in three pieces of dog food, each one representing
one of her dogs. Listening to their stories provided
me with a more complete understanding of who
my students were. I learned more about their
lives outside of school than I had learned in my
entire first year of teaching. I didn’t know until he
donated it to this project that a second-grade boy’s
last gift from his mom before she went to jail was a
necklace, or that the sole purpose of a second-grade
girl was to grow up to become a doctor because
her family had experienced some serious medical
difficulties. Together, these objects documented
moments of joy, sadness, frustration, worry, and
hope, informed by the past, with aspirations

24.

for the future. This complexity is what makes
us human. Show + Tell connected my students’
actual concerns to the broader implications of
assessments, promoting transformative learning
for each of us through an authentic collaborative
experience (Campbell, 2011).

Together, these objects
documented moments of joy,
sadness, frustration, worry,
and hope, informed by the
past, with aspirations for the
future.
I believe that working on this project altered my
students’ perception and understanding of my
intentions as their art teacher. Being new to the
school, I was cautious and so were my students.
Show + Tell generated trust through a very
unassuming process of sharing objects and stories.
A bond was created, easing student uncertainty
about what was going to happen in the art room,
opening the door for more genuine exchanging
of ideas and collaboration. While working on the
project, I was constantly reminded of an interview
question I was asked when I was applying for my
job. The principal wanted to know how I would
approach whole-child instruction in my classroom.
In my answer, I remembered saying that I wanted
to help students learn to build relationships by
including their interests in their art making. Show
+ Tell gave me the opportunity to follow through
on this statement in a way that I had not been able
to do prior to the project.
The Exhibition
As we worked on the project, we tested out different
formats for exhibiting the work. Eventually, we
decided that stacking the transparent cubes on top
of one another would emphasize the dimensionality
of the objects and, as one sculptural mass, would
have the strongest visual impact. We wanted
viewers to be able to walk around the stacked cases
to explore each object individually and collectively.

We installed the cubes on a 4’x8’ platform, staggering
our stacking of the cubes to create different heights.
At the opening, an audio recording of the students
discussing their work played in the background
and, on a pedestal near the stack of cubes, was the
ledger filled with the data for each student. It was
exciting to experience the work with those who
attended the opening – students and teachers from
both schools and one principal – and to discuss with
them our intentions: resisting the definition of our
schools as “underperforming” by demonstrating
the complexity of our students’ meaning-making.
Learning through Experience
As educators frustrated by the overemphasis our
schools placed on test scores, Show + Tell became
our point of clarity. When we agreed to participate
in the project, none of us really understood

the level of commitment it was going to take to
complete the work. We were rather surprised to
find ourselves installing the finished work in the
gallery because there were times when the project
seemed too big for the three of us to accomplish. But
each time we put an object into a box for display,
our connection to each student as an individual
deepened, reminding us that the aims of education
must reach beyond standardization. We learned for
ourselves the value of prioritizing experience and
reflecting on accomplishments. As stated by Dewey
(1916), “when we experience something we act
upon it, we do something with it” (p. 139). Show
+ Tell called on us to act on other ways of making
with our students and, because of this, “a change
made in us”(p. 139) was the result of learning how
to cultivate a culture of collaboration as a means
for creating deeper connections with our students.

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25.

Conclusion
Show + Tell places as its central aim the recognition of the lived experience of our students as critical to
the practice of learning; it stands as a visual metaphor for the ways in which multiple perspectives are
shared and linked. As educators and artists, we were initially attempting to demonstrate how performance
scores do little to provide a robust and complex portrait of a learner and a school because they assess using
a single perspective that does little to uncover complexity. During the process of making this work, our
conversations often drifted to our habits in the classroom, those that we thought worked and those that we
knew we could do better. These reflective moments gave us the opportunity to develop new awareness about
our daily instructional habits so new possibilities could be imagined in our own classrooms (Buffington &
Wilson McKay, 2013). We became better educators because of this collaboration.
Our shared belief that a comprehensive school performance score can be built using more than just a set
of data points became manifest through our students’ voices and objects. Through this collaboration with
our students, we challenged the “structural objectification and neutrality of knowledge” (Shin, 2013, p.
106) to actively defy presumptions about our communities. If assessment is to be successful as an indicator
of growth, then it must be as dynamic as those it is assessing. Show + Tell was our attempt to create such a
dynamic assessment: we tell an alternative narrative of two underperforming schools by showing who our
students are through a collaborative artwork.
References
Campbell, L. (2011). Holistic art education: A transformative approach to teaching art. Art Education.
64(2), 18-24.
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. New York, NY:
The Free Press.
Gude, O. (2007). Principles of possibility: Considerations for a 21st- century art & culture curriculum.
Art Education. 60 (1), 6-17.
Mayer, M. (2008). Considerations for a contemporary art curriculum. Art Education. 61(2), 77-79.
Moore, R. (2008, August). Invitation to play. Retrieved from http://deptstore.blogspot.com/
O’Donoghue, D. (2015). The turn to experience in contemporary art: A potentiality for thinking art
education differently. Studies in Art Education. 56 (2), 103-113.
Owen, S. (2014). Teacher professional learning communities: Going beyond contrived collegiality toward
challenging debate and collegial learning and professional growth. Australian Journal of Adult Learning.
54(2), 54-77.
Shin, R. (2013). Stand and unfold yourself! Post-structural challenges for art teachers. In Tavin, K. &
Ballengee Morris, C. (Eds.), Stand(ing) up, for a change voices of arts educators (pp. 105-111). Reston, VA:
National Art Education Association.
Thompson, N. (2004). Strategic visuality: A project by four artist/researchers. Art Journal. 63(1), 38-40.
Wiggins, G & Mc Tighe, J. (2011). The understanding by design guide to creating high quality units.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD

•

26.

School of

Art and Design
LOW RESIDENCY
MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE
The Low Residency Art & Design Master’s degree is
designed for current art educators who wish to build upon
their credentials while pursuing development as artists,
teachers, and leaders in the field of art education.
• Reconnect with your studio practices and develop
new teaching strategies
• Courses designed to fit your schedule with two
summer residencies and courses conducted online
• Learn through both expert faculty and practical field
application
• Discover new resources and contacts
• Synthesize your personal talents with curricular
interests

I have been thinking about collaboration. Collaboration is a way for students to become part of a big picture,
figuratively and literarily. I have done a variety of methods of collaboration, from all students working on the
same project to all students’ individual projects becoming part of a whole.
Here are a few examples of ways I have used collaboration in my classes.
Here everyone worked on the whole, taking turns to papier-mâché, wrap, paint, and create a life-size mummy
and sarcophagus.

28.

Another way I have used collaboration is when each personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s individual work becomes part of an installation, as
in this Dot Day example. Here every student created a Dot, or round work of abstract art. We then put them
together to celebrate the book The Dot by Peter Reynolds.

Another example of this method of collaboration is a rainy day installation. Here each student created a raindrop
with his/her school picture on one side and a self-portrait on the other side. We hung the raindrops from umbrellas.
This picture does not do the installation justice because moving through the drops was a wonderful way of
experiencing the installation.

Collage Spring 2017

29.

One of my favorite ways of doing collaborative art is something in between the previous two methods. Each
student creates a standalone piece, but then each piece becomes an integral part of the whole. Here are the
beginnings of a project like this. The students each created a monocromatic self-portrait in one of the colors of
the spectrum. They will be featured in our end of the year art show. I am just not sure how yet.

My school is working on another project like this right now. We are making a sticky note mural. I have done
these murals in the past, but it has been quite a while. Here is an example of the sticky notes.

30.

I am especially lucky because I teach K-12 and have a rich variety of art examples and levels. I have all my students from kindergarten to senior year in high school make the sticky notes. By about second or third grade, you
can’t stop them.
Here is an example of the finished work from a previous year.

As you can see, the finished product really is greater than the sum of its parts. I am excited to see the finished
product for this year.
I would like to know what other teachers are doing. How are you using collaboration in your classroom and
program?
If you send your ideas and pictures to me, I will put them together for a future article. Send to mannc@merino.
k12.co.us. Label the email “Collaborations.” I look forward to seeing all the great ideas.

•

Collage Spring 2017

31.

A Look into My Art Room
by Christina Martinez
I am so excited to share with you pictures of my art room. I wanted my room to be a fun, bright place, but it
was painted a gross pastel yellow so, over the summer, we painted all the walls white with an accent wall painted a dark blue violet color. This has really helped the room look more put together.
I have labeled each table by color and have hung paint cans above each table to help students place the tables
back if the tables shift during art making. On my back wall, I have frames with our “I Can” statements as well
as instructions for each class, which can include pictures of supplies the students will need. Each table of students has a dedicated area, indicated by color, where the students go to get any supplies they may need. I also
have a yellow dresser that I turned into shelving that I call the “Art Supply Store.” This is where students can go
to get supplies that are needed for specific projects only.
On another wall in my room, I have a huge bulletin board with the elements of art that I refer to and encourage the students to refer to as we are making art. I also have a small bulletin board for students who are the
classroom helpers for the week. These students will help me with anything and everything during their assigned
week.
Thank you so much for stopping by my art room! If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at:
martinezch@hcosd.org

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Collage Spring 2017

33.

â&#x20AC;¢
34.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like we ship a Tech
with every KM Kiln

Current
+ Sensing
Current Sensors ship with every KilnMaster Kiln. KilnLink is an optional upgrade.

Scholastics has had some exciting events and news this season!
Scholastics hosted its Red Carpet Premiere night on February 28, 2017. The Red Carpet Premiere showcased the
winners in the category of Film and Animation. We rented out a theater at the Sie FilmCenter (the home of the
Denver Film Society) and got the students popcorn, a red carpet, and a photographer. Then they watched their
films on the big screen! It was so exciting and brought so much joy to the students, teachers, parents, and friends.
Congratulations to the five American Vision nominees! These are considered Colorado’s “best in show” and are
judged at the national level in New York. And, the exciting news is that “Golden Ram” won a national American
Vision medal! This piece will be showcased along with other Gold Key winners at Parsons New School and the
Pratt in New York City in June. The full list of national winners can be found through our website: https://www.
coloradoartawards.org/

36.

â&#x20AC;¢

Collage Spring 2017

37.

2017 Summer
ArtSource Institute

Mindful Odyssey: Further Play with Your Genius
by Paula Rowinski
ArtSource Member
Who is interested in a journey? How about a mindful journey surrounded by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains
in Estes Park, Colorado? Yes, summer is coming soon and who is not inspired by the loveliness of our Rocky
Mountains? Well, if this sounds like professional development that could inspire you as an artist and educator,
then this is worth its weight in art supplies or, if you prefer, gold!
As an ArtSource member and recruiting officer, I am no doubt a fan of ArtSource and the Summer Institute we
provide to art educators and educators who take the leap of faith to work collaboratively and artistically. Each
summer we have gathered inspiring groups of artists, poets, dancers, and puppeteers who guide an investigation.
And this summer is another opportunity to take a journey alongside these professionals in the Rocky Mountains.
Portions of the week are divided into
investigating, art making, journaling, and
collaborating as well as practicing balance in
our busy lives. This exploration of bringing
intention and calm into ideas through
visual art will be guided by our presenter
Jenna McBride. Community sharing and
taking time to connect to nature will be
part of how we explore mindfulness. Our
goal this year is to help you find balance
and direction in your journey as an art
educator and artist.
Applications for the 2017 Summer
ArtSource Institute were due the first week
of April. If you missed the deadline but
are interested in attending, please contact
Paula Rowinski as soon as possible. At the
time of writing, there were still some spots
available. Partial scholarship requests were
reviewed April 8th.
Jenna McBride MA-LPC is a Licensed
Professional Counselor. Her concentration
for her masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is in expressive art therapy.
If you have questions about ArtSource,
please contact: Paula_Rowinski@msn.com

38.

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Collage Spring 2017

39.

Art S how Rx
by Michelle Zuccaro

How do we keep life’s demands in
balance during this crazy time of year?
Welcome to spring, a time of bursting vibrancy. The earth is rejuvenated and springing to life. Along with this
comes the time for school art shows, which take an incredible amount of time and energy. Work demands are
high and many of our needs get set aside. It’s kind of like pulling an all-nighter in college. You know you’ll pay
for it later but you get a ton of great work done. It’s invigorating and exhausting. These are the times when you
get through with your trusty cup or pot of coffee or tea and chat with friends in the hall while stretching your legs
and waiting for a bag of popcorn to pop. Then it’s back to work.
How do we keep life’s demands in balance during this crazy time of year? Let’s start with a list of basic human
needs put together by Sura Hart and Victoria Kindle Hodson who wrote Respectful Parents, Respectful Kids: 7 Keys
to Turn Family Conflict into Cooperation.
Rest Fun
Exercise Creativity
Healthy Food Purpose
Learning and Growth Companionship
Support Honesty
Empathy Contribution
Meaning
Where and how do you generally meet these needs? What does balance mean and look like for you? Which are
your strongest needs? What are simple things you can do to refresh everyday when the bigger things have to be
set aside, i.e., small rituals/habits that you do every day? How might you plan in order to meet these needs?

Recognize the space between events as
an important time to pause.
40.

Manage your waking thoughts.
Here are some ideas that might help get you through this busy time of year:
Find small but important rituals or habits that sustain you until you can get back to a clearer, more
sustainable balance of your needs. This might be a cup of coffee in the morning or a brisk walk when you
get home from work.
Stay connected with those around you. I tend to get very focused and forget to have eye contact with
people when I am busy. So my goal is to look up from what I am doing to look people in the eyes when
they are talking to me.
Recognize the space between events as an important time to pause. Noticing your breath and clearing
your mind of cluttered thoughts during these spaces helps to bring greater energy later when you return
to your work.
Choose snacks to have on hand. It can be doubtful youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get in a solid meal during especially busy days.
Manage your waking thoughts. When you wake up in the morning, think of something you are grateful
for and something you are looking forward to during the day. Swing your legs over the edge of the bed
and pause, then place your feet on the ground, stretch a little, and begin to feel ready for a productive day.
See the bigger picture. When pediatricians talk with parents about childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diets, they advise parents not
to worry about what children eat each day but rather about the big picture of what they eat in a week.
Similarly, we may not able to maintain a comfortable balance during the busiest times of the year but, with
time, we will return to an overall state of balance.
Remember to laugh every chance you get.
May you enjoy seeing the accomplishments and growth that your students have achieved this year. Art shows
serve the purpose of celebrating and providing recognition. They are an important part of feeding your needs for
purpose, creativity, meaning, and contribution.